Presenting Author: Serene Murad, Wesleyan University

ABSTRACT

Background: “Community” holds different meanings across groups. The notion of community may be particularly important for midlife adults, offering a sense of belonging and opportunities for continued social engagement during the transition to older age. The current study examines dimensions of community and geographical ties among midlife African Americans and European Americans.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine meanings of community from the perspectives of midlife adults living in different neighborhoods within the same geographical community, an urban metropolitan area. The primary research questions are: 1) What elements of community are important to midlife adults; and 2) What role does physical location play in perceptions of community?

Methods: Using interview data from the Foley Longitudinal Study of Adulthood (FLSA; N =159; aged 55–58) and a qualitative GIS approach, major themes were categorized and spatially mapped to create a comprehensive picture of how perceptions of community corresponded with physical spaces.

Results: Core themes ranged from connections to place, space and people to changing community and relational benefits gained from community involvement. Spatial contrasts indicate that residents of a suburban enclave more frequently noted connections to people as being important to community, compared to respondents living in densely-populated areas. Within identical zip codes, participants often described their communities in different ways.

Implications: Evidence supports a dual influence of relational and geographical connections as important for midlife adults, yet relational aspects (e.g., Connections to People) were particularly important for adults living in a suburban community. We believe our findings suggest that constructions of community are influenced by both the social and physical environment.

Authors: Serene Murad; Eunice Lee; Fred Ayres; Joshua Cardenas; Ananya Subrahmanian; Louisa Winchell; and H. Shellae Versey, MPH, MS, PhD.